Sunday, November 14, 2010

Steve's Pick of the Week on facebook is this wonderful high-resolution pic from The Star Wars Holiday Special. He included the following words:

"Happy Life Day…maybe! While I’ve always considered the holiday that originated in the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special to be an analog of the real world’s Christmas, some fans in Spokane, Washington, make a case that the proper date should be November 17. That was the date in 1978 that the Holiday Special hit the CBS airwaves for its first and only time. The fans said they celebrated what they call “Wookiee Life Day” at a bar last year while watching a bootleg version of the Holiday Special, and urged fans around the world to do likewise next Wednesday. Of course, they’re also clamoring for an “official” DVD release of the Holiday Special. You lost me on that one, guys. The photo is one of the publicity images released for the show, showing Chewbacca in his Life Day robes."

Thanks for having a good sense of humor, and not serving us a cease and desist! Steve recognizes that Wookiee Life Day (a non-profit / not-real organization) is all in good fun, and meant to spread the good word of Star Wars.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Spokane, WA, November 12, 2010:On November 17, 1978 The Star Wars Holiday Special aired for one time only on CBS in the United States. Featuring an odd story about Chewbacca reuniting with his family to celebrate the Wookiee holiday of Life Day, it has gone on to live in infamy among Star Wars fans. The special includes appearances and strange musical performances from the cast of the original Star Wars movie, as well as Bea Arthur, Art Carney, Harvey Korman, Diahann Carroll, and Jefferson Starship. To no ones surprise The Star Wars Holiday Special is renowned for its overwhelmingly negative reception. Lucasfilm has never released the Holiday Special to the public after its initial broadcast, but it has lived on through video recordings and sharing among friends.

The first annual Wookiee Life Day was held on November 17, 2009. The original celebration was held at the Baby Bar in Spokane, WA where a collection of geeks, hipsters, and Stormtroopers united to watch The Star Wars Holiday Special on the 31st anniversary of its lone broadcast. Those in attendance donned crimson colored Snuggies to recreate the look of the ceremonial Wookiee Life Day robes as seen in the Holiday Special. Before the celebration, word of the ironic new Holiday quickly spread across the Internet and articles were featured on Snuggie Sightings, TheForce.net, and even StarWars.com. This led to people holding their own Wookiee Life Day celebrations all around the world!

For the 2nd Annual Wookiee Life Day on November 17, 2010 fans of The Star Wars Holiday Special are encouraged to host their own celebrations wherever they choose. From local cantinas, to coffee houses, to tiny 1-bedroom apartments – anywhere works! All you need is a way to watch The Star Wars Holiday Special and some Crimson Snuggies (or other brands/colors of sleeved blankets, backwards bathrobes). Everyone who participates is encouraged to send in pictures of their festivities to Wookiee Life Day via facebook, twitter, tumblr, etc.

Wookiee Life Day started as an excuse for some people to get silly at a bar, but also to create more public awareness of the anomaly that is The Star Wars Holiday Special. The ultimate goal of Wookiee Life Day is to show Lucasfilm that there is indeed much fan interest in their oddball property – and that it demands an official release on DVD and Blu-ray! Until then, and after, fans around the world will be celebrating Wookiee Life Day every November 17th.

11/17/78 Never Forget

“If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it.”

Monday, November 8, 2010

You can click this for a high resolution printable version. Photoshop in your own information, or just print out the template, write in your party info, then photocopy. If you end up making any kind of Wookiee Life Day flyer I'd love for you to email it to me or submit it to the tumblr so I can post it!

You can click this for a high resolution printable version. Photoshop in your own information, or just print out the template, write in your party info, then photocopy. If you end up making any kind of Wookiee Life Day flyer I'd love for you to email it to me or submit it to the tumblr so I can post it!